New Protea Hotel by Marriott Opens in Loftus Park, Pretoria

Protea Hotels by Marriott, part of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR), today announced the opening of Protea Hotel by Marriott Pretoria Loftus Park. Located in the rapidly transforming suburb of Arcadia in Pretoria, the hotel is nestled within Loftus Park, a comprehensive mixed-use corporate, retail and lifestyle precinct in Pretoria, fast emerging as a bustling business and leisure destination. Not far from the Hatfield Gautrain Station and the Tshwane Rapid Transport Bus route, it provides easy access from both Johannesburg city as well as OR Tambo International Airport.

“Protea Hotels by Marriott is a leading hotel brand in South Africa and enjoys unprecedented regional brand equity,” said Volker Heiden, Vice President Protea Hotels by Marriott, Marriott International, Middle East and Africa. “I am confident that this, together with the hotel’s strategic location and the global distribution of Marriott International will help position Protea Hotel by Marriott Pretoria Loftus Park as a preferred choice for business and leisure travelers to Pretoria.”

Protea Hotel by Marriott Pretoria Loftus Park offers 152 modern rooms as well as conference facilities and meeting rooms catering for up to 180 delegates. Food and beverage facilities include a restaurant, a coffee shop, a rooftop swimming pool and bar and lounge, offering panoramic views of the city.

Situated adjacent to Loftus Versfeld Stadium, the leading site for rugby and soccer, the hotel is expected to attract interest and gain visibility amongst the sporting circles. While its proximity to the Union Building and Pretoria’s many embassies, the numerous Ministerial headquarters in the area, as well the neighboring school and university will drive further business into the Hotel. The inclusion of the hotel on the Pretoria skyline will no doubt be a welcome addition to what the city has on offer.

“We are thrilled to have a new hotel in Loftus Park,” said Etienne Potgieter, General Manager Protea Hotel by Marriott Pretoria Loftus Park. “The unique location of the hotel and its proximity to the Stadium is an exciting new opportunity for us, that we believe, will help us tap into the fast growing sports tourism segment. We hope to be able to create special experiences that will enable us to welcome our loyal Marriott International guests as well as attract new ones.”

Protea Hotel by Marriott Loftus Park is co-owned by Bluecor, a South Africa based Real Estate Development Company and longstanding partner of Marriott International, together with Redefine Properties and Abland.

About Protea Hotels by Marriott

Protea Hotels by Marriott® is the leading hospitality brand in Africa and it is one of the most widely recognized brands on the continent with over 80 hotels throughout South Africa and eight other African countries, including Zambia, Nigeria, Namibia, Ghana and Uganda amongst others. Protea Hotels by Marriott® is ideal for both business and leisure travellers by offering properties in primary and secondary business centres and desirable leisure destinations.  Each hotel offers modern facilities, proactive and friendly service and consistent amenities such as full service restaurants, meeting spaces, complimentary Wi-Fi, and well-appointed rooms, ensuring global standards for a high quality, relaxed and successful stay. Protea Hotels by Marriott® is the winner of 7 Coolest Hotel Group awards in the Sunday Times Generation Next surveys, the winner of the Ask Africa South African Customer Service Award 2013 and Icon Brand 2015, and the winner of the Hotels category in the Ask Afrika 2015/2016 Youth Brands Survey.  The hotel group was bought by Marriott International in April 2014 and forms part of Marriott’s global brand portfolio made up of 30 leading brands that operate more than 6,700 properties in 130 countries and territories. For more information, visit proteahotels.com. Protea Hotels by Marriott® is proud to participate in the company’s award-winning loyalty programs – Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG). The programs, operating under one set of unparalleled benefits, enable members to earn points toward free hotel stays, achieve Elite status faster than ever, and seamlessly book or redeem points for stays throughout our loyalty portfolio of 29 brands and more than 6,700 participating hotels in 130 countries & territories. To enroll for free or for more information about the programs, visit members.marriott.com.

About Marriott International

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,700 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 130 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.